5 toughest games on the New York Giants' 2017 schedule

5 toughest games on the New York Giants' 2017 schedule

The New York Giants had one of the easier schedules in 2016, which undoubtedly aided in their 11-5 record and birth in the postseason. They ripped off nine wins in their final 11 games, with just three of those coming against teams that finished above .500.

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That is not to say the Giants didn’t earn what they achieved, but schedules are a key factor in the playoffs every year and the Giants were beneficiaries in 2016.

Big Blue will have their work cut out for them in 2017. Based on their 2016 records, the Giants have the eighth toughest schedule, which could actually understate how tough their schedule ends up being. A scary stat to consider: of the 10 teams with the toughest schedules in 2016, none made the playoffs. Seven of the top 10 teams with the easiest schedules (including the Giants) made it.

Every team in the AFC West has a chance to win the division next season, and that is already true without taking into account the possibility of Tony Romo quarterbacking the Kansas City Chiefs or Denver Broncos. The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals will be good again, and who knows how much new coaches will impact the San Francisco 49ers or Los Angeles Rams. You could make the argument the Giants are playing the toughest division from the 2016 season, and the all-around toughest division since 2011.

Without further ado, here are the five toughest games for the Giants in 2017.

5. Kansas City Chiefs (home)

The Chiefs have been a force to be reckoned with during the regular season in their last 26 games. They are 22-4 in that span, and even though Andy Reid has been unable to get them over the hump in the postseason, you still have to fear this team that has weapons and play-makers all over the field.

As previously mentioned, the Chiefs are in play for Romo who knows how to win at MetLife Stadium. Kansas City’s biggest weakness under Reid has been the downfield passing attack. With Romo they would easily be the most balanced team in the AFC next season (sorry, New England Patriots).

4. Seattle Seahawks (home)

The Giants catch a break by getting the Seahawks at home this time. The Seahawks are a much worse team on the road than they are at home. But make no mistake about it, they are still a perennial contender in the NFC and will be a tough out. The previous two times these teams met with Pete Carroll calling the shots, the Seahawks won both by a combined scored of 61-17. and one of those was a 23-0 shutout in New Jersey.

Seattle struggled with a myriad of injuries in 2016 and were still able to make it to the divisional round of the playoffs. Expect them to fully regroup in 2017 and get back to terrorizing teams.

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3. Dallas Cowboys (both)

If I had to pick one, at Dallas would obviously be the choice, but both games against the 13-3 Cowboys need to be circled on the schedule. This is a young team that got eliminated on a miracle pass and field goal as time expired in the playoffs. They will be hungry, plus looking for some revenge in 2017.

Plus, there is a distinct possibility their below-average defense will get much better. Jaylon Smith, who by most accounts is an athletic freak ready to pounce on the NFL, will see his first action, and they’ll have a chance to improve in the draft and free agency with their offense not losing much if anything at all. You’d be hard pressed to find a team that had a better regular season in 2016, and it’s a scary thought that they could be a better all-around team in 2017.

2. Denver Broncos (away)

I already know what you’re thinking: “How are the Broncos tougher than the Cowboys?” Well, mostly because of the home field advantage that Denver brings to the table. Sports Authority Field at Mile High gets rowdy, and this game could get especially tough if it happens after October.

The Broncos would be in play for Romo if he is granted his outright release as he expects, according to ESPN. With all the impressive weapons on the outside, plus a ferocious defense that will keep them in every game, you can see why most believe this team is a quarterback away from winning it all.

These two teams were basically mirror images of each other in 2016: tough defenses with offenses that struggled to move the ball. The Giants might be able to fix their issues if they upgrade the offensive line; I fear for Eli Manning’s life if that doesn’t happen. Von Miller is an absolute stud. If all false into place for both franchises in free agency, this could be a Super Bowl preview.

1. Oakland Raiders (away)

The one thing that makes this game more interesting than the rest: while we know this is a road game for the Giants, we don’t know where the Raiders will be playing in 2017. They appeared set to relocate to Las Vegas until billionaires started pulling their funding for a new stadium. Once that happened, San Diego inquired looking to replace the Chargers who spurned them for Los Angeles.

All signs point to the game being played at the Oakland Coliseum, which isn’t good news for the Giants. The Black Hole is a tough place to play. As darling picks to contend for a wildcard spot in 2016, the Raiders burst onto the scene with an explosive offense that led them to a 12-4 record. They were headed for a likely date with New England in the AFC title game until quarterback Derek Carr broke his fibula late in the season. If that hadn’t happened, they most likely finish 13-3 as the No. 2 seed and were a much better matchup for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

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The Raiders have one of the best young offensive lines in football, a plethora of weapons for Carr, and a defense that improved as the season went along. That, combined with the Giants traveling all the way across the country makes this their toughest game of the 2017 season hands down.

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